The UCSC project managed to obtain a high performance fuel, presented at the closing ceremony of the initiative.
Jean Pierre Molina, UCSC Journalist.- A liter of oil contaminates a thousand liters of water. Therefore, giving a second life to this product can be a sustainable alternative that allows finding a substitute for liquefied petroleum gas, which is a fossil fuel. And research led by Dr. Laura Azócar, an academic from the Faculty of Sciences of the Universidad Católica de la Santísima Concepción, offers a process to generate biopropane from residual oils, an opportunity that will diversify the energy matrix.
This is the Fondef IDeA R&D project “Production of second generation biopropane through an integrated biotechnological/thermochemical process” ID 20 I 10331, which obtained a biofuel with the same properties as liquefied petroleum gas, but without emissions.
“We have developed an integrated process that allows us to maximize the production of biopropane from oil with fairly high yields. For this, we developed a biotechnological line and another thermochemical one, in which we studied a chemical reaction of methanol. When this chemical reaction is generated, there is a residue that is produced, and we take that to a biotechnological process, with a bacterial strain”, summarized Dr. Laura Azócar.
The technology, in the process of being patented, is a sustainable and ecological solution, with storage and transportation costs similar to liquefied gas, which has companies such as Gasco GLP and Rendering Chile as partners, interested in developing production processes for this fuel.
renewable matrix
During the closing ceremony of the project, the Energy Seremi, Daniela Espinoza, participated, who highlighted the work carried out by the UCSC in terms of sustainable energy. As he stated, “energy represents almost 80% of greenhouse gas emissions, but it is also a strategic sector to boost local economies, promote development and demand specialized labor, which we hope will be trained in universities.” local. We have to move towards a renewable matrix, with sustainable fuels and in this transition we have the duty to maintain a reliable and safe energy supply. And precisely gas and biofuels are the most reliable options that will support the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions. This biopropane project is aligned with the goals and the roadmap that we have proposed in the energy sector”.
The meeting included presentations by the representatives of Gasco GP, Juan Francisco Richards, and of Rendering Chile, Joaquín Aguirre, as well as a keynote talk by the executive director of Fundación Energía para Todos, Javier Piedra, with the theme “Renewable energies, challenges and opportunities in the face of climate change”.
